EP0954921A2 - A portable communication device with hierarchical form presentation - Google Patents

Abstract

A portable communication device has a mechanical input sub-system, visual display and data processing and storage facilities. The device can present a hierarchical form organization for selectably and in a hierarchy presenting various pre-organized forms that allow immediate selection among a plurality of form-specific items. The items include subaltern forms and the device allows on a lower level to specify persons and/or various further quantifiers.

Description

A PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE WITH HIERARCHICAL FORM PRESENTATION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device as recited in the preamble of Claim 1. Small-size Personal Digital Assistants and other Organizer devices have been florishing in the marketplace, as have so-called Buzzers and Pagers that all allow reception of a limited spectrum of precoded messages. On the other hand, larger devices such as desk-top computers allow a flexible message transfer organization for E-mailing between multiple terminals. The present inventor has recognized a need to provide small-size portable devices with an easy-accessible facility to transmit messages that are composed in a message thesaurus of intermediate size without requiring a user person to painstakingly enter a large sequence of tiny characters on a mini-keyboard. In fact, the small size of the keys thereof causes it to be prone to typing errors.

SUMMARY TO THE INVENTION

In consequence, amongst other things, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device as recited with a facility for setting up a kind of semiform- organized messages that in consequence may be composed in a jiffy, and is in particular suited for service-oriented E-Mail and similar environments. Now therefore, according to one of its aspects, the invention is characterized according to the characterizing part of Claim 1.

Through the hierarchy of the forms, the composing of messages has become straightforward, while specific information such as names, dates, amounts, etcetera, may be conveniently input through a small-size keyboard.

Further advantageous aspects of the invention are recited in dependent Claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These and further aspects and advantages of the invention will be discussed more in detail hereinafter with reference to the disclosure of preferred embodiments, and in particular with reference to the appended Figures that show: Figure 1 , a block diagram of a device of the invention; Figure 2, a front view of such device; Figure 3, a flow chart of its operation; Figure 4, a front view of another such device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary device according to the invention. Without express or implied limitation, the device 20 may have the general size of a human hand, and may without limitation weigh anywhere from 0.1 to 0.5 of a kilogram. Item 34 is a display that may accommodate four rows of twenty characters each, on a liquid crystal surface. Display controller 32 provides the various control signals necessary to effect such display. For simplicity, powering schemes have been omitted. Central processing facility 22 controls the accessing of the further subsystems, and inter alia generates a hierarchical menu presentation on screen 34. Item 24 is a mini-keyboard with less than full- QWERTY facility, such as in use on certain telephones. By itself, a twelve key keyboard has been in use for inputting digits, letters, and a few control signals such as * and #. Interface item 26 interfaces to a broadcast antenna 27 or another bidirectional communication organization. Item 28 is a random access memory that can contain transient data, such as messages being formulated or received. Item 30 is a permanent memory for storing the program and the lists of terms to be specified hereinafter. Furthermore, a speech recognition facility may or may not be provided, in the device, but for brevity has not been shown specifically. Such speech recognition may be able to discriminate among various items that according to the above can be selected by one or more keystrokes. Alternatively, the recognition facility may allow inputting of a wider repertoire. A further non- keyboard input mechanism could pertain to a trackball or other cursoring facility.

Figure 2 is a front view of such an embodiment 20 according to the invention. It has a display 34, and nine buttons 40-56. These have the following functions: 40 on/off toggle; 42 compose/send message; 44 store/ recall item/message; 46 further select function; 48-56 select in menu, such as select item or select character (2 keystrokes).

Figure 3 is an exemplary flowchart of the operation of the invention. In block 60, the application is started, for example by power-on, or by selecting in a higher level menu. Self-reliantly, the necessary processing facilities will then be reserved for the task. In block 62, the system presents a welcoming message to the user person. In block 64, the highest level menu is displayed, so that the user may select an item. In block 66, the system detects whether the user has indeed effected the selection. In effect, interconnection 83 represents a waiting loop, that may persist for several tens of seconds. After expiration of this period, the system may revert via interconnection 86 to terminating block 82. Hereinafter, all interrupted lines will likewise be taken upon expiration of a similar waiting interval. If in block 66 the detection is positive, the system in block 68 presents a next lower-level menu, and furthermore undertakes detecting of a selection in block 70. After expiration of the waiting time, the system steps backwards via interconnection 84 to block 64. If the user has indeed made a selection in the actual hierarchically lower menu, the system in block 72 asks for a quantification, and undertakes a further waiting interval in block 74. In case of a failure, the system steps back to block 68. If quantified, the system asks for transmit in block 76, and detects actual transmitting in block 78. In case of failure, the system steps back to block 72. In case of persistent failure, the system gradually goes back to the beginning of the flowchart, and thence to STOP 82. If the transmission is effected indeed, the system asks whether the transmission should have been the last one. If not, the system goes back to block 64, but otherwise to termination block 82. In practice, a flow chart may have more loops and various branches that may follow from an environment as will be detailed hereinafter.

The following basic environments have been specified in the preferred embodiment, all of these environments pertaining to general person-to-person communication. Upon presentation by the communication facility, a user may select one of these environments through actuating an appropriate one of buttons 48-56. Alternatively, such may be effected by cursoring and actuation.

In the above, the number of rows and columns is arbitrary and corresponds to the display format. Now, various ones, but not necessarily all of the above items will upon their selection present a hierarchically lower set of items. The following embodiment is preferred with respect to the environment "appointment":

Again, one of these items may be selected to further detail the particularities of the environment in question. Alternatively, if the category of message has been sufficiently specified in one or more item selection steps, subsequently one or more generic items, that each may pertain to one or more of the above environments, may be selected from to the following table for qualifying:

Next, for a person, the following characterizations or qualifiers may be chosen: collegue, client, chef, all names.

Finally, the transmission proper may be effected in various modes, such as full ASCII, or rather as coded keywords, that must be decoded by a receiver station.

Figure 4 is a front view of another device embodiment 100. The display allows 5 rows of 45 characters each, and furthermore may have a text wrap-around facility. Item 102 is a four- direction cursor mechanism for steering through a field of items and has been provided with an actuate button 104. Button 108 controls on/off. Most of buttons 110-122 have two functions. Button 110 selects an address from a list. In combination with shift-key 126 it selects a "new address", that in consequence, must be typed in letter-by letter. Button 112 signals that an item will be composed with the Message Management according to the invention. Combined with shift key 126 it signals that a text will subsequently be typed. Button 114 commands that a reply will be given to a message received. This means that parameters such as an address will be provided by MMS. Combined with shift key 126 it signals a "reply include" situation, wherein an amount of text must specify the sender person. Button 116 signals that an actual message must be forwarded, according to an address that has been specified already. Button 118 activates the INBOX of the device, so that successive messages therein will be read in sequence. Combined with shift key 126 the same button activates the OUTBOX of the device, so that successive messages therein may be read in sequence. Button 120 signals a "ready" situation, such that the system may revert to the start of the flowchart. Button 122 signals an update of the system. In particular, it establishes a connection with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), such as GSM or PSTN; furthermore, the device transmits messages present in the OUTBOX to the server ISP, and receives mail from the server ISP present in the INBOX. Finally, block 124 indicates a more or less standard but undersized keyboard that is provided with relatively small-sized keys, leaving some open space in the righthand bottom corner.

The following specific menus have been proposed for various operation stages in the message composing. First, after actuation of the Compose Button, there are two possibilities: e-mail request for information services

(text) (adds items to text)

The latter item 706 gives rise to the following set of display items:

Upon Selecting the item Travel hereabove, the following selectable items will be displayed. Generally, through the above menu an "Information Tuning" operation is effected, each Selection gives an associated "Electronic Guide", in the shape of a further form that must be filled out, as follows:

TRAVEL GUIDE

Departure City: Street:

Destination City: Street:

Travel Time: Distance: Guidance:

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A portable communication device, provided with a mechanical input subsystem, visual display facilities and data processing and storage facilities, characterized by having hierarchical form presentation means for selectably and in a hierarchy presenting various pre-organized display forms that each allow immediate user selecting among a plurality of form-specific items, various such items representing subaltern forms, and such device allowing on a lower level user specifying of persons and/or various further quantifiers or qualifiers.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1 for use as a transmitting station in a network environment.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1, and furthermore having a substandard keyboard facility allowing entering of alphanumerical characters.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 1, and furthermore having a mini-

QWERTY keyboard facility.

5. A device as claimed in Claim 3, and furthermore having at least one additional non-keyboard input facility for a human user.

6. A device as claimed in Claim 1 for wireless use.